Movie Garden Drive-In

50sSNIPES on September 24, 2023 at 6:17 am

On December 8, 1980, the Eustis Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the Leesburg Police Department arrested 15 people on drug charges (including charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana and resisting arrest) while watching “Urban Cowboy” as part of a double feature (with the other feature being “Roadie”) at the Movie Garden. Out of the 15 arrested, four of them were juveniles. Employees and patrons at the theater witnessed the druggies smoking marijuana and swearing loudly. The detained people were all between the ages of 15 and 22 from Eustis, Tavares, Umatilla, Leesburg, Sorrento, Astatula, and Mount Dora. Only three people were released from bond a day later. It was a major scene that some officers have to jump over the fence in order to enter.

During the riff, two undercover policemen were injured in a scuffle by a 16-year-old Umatilla girl (who was arrested on battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence) as the two officers were then treated and released from Waterman Memorial Hospital. Only one detainee was sent to the hospital.

The Movie Garden closed on October 1, 1983, and was demolished on December 13, 1983.